ETNA Erupts Again, Lighting Up the Sky Over Sicily

Mt ETNA erupted, shooting up towering columns of ash into the air

The eruption from Europe’s most active volcano ejected towering columns of ash and fountains of molten lava over Sicily Saturday night.

Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, is in an almost constant state of activity. The eruption was the 16th paroxysmal explosion at Etna so far this year, forcing officials at Cantania Airport to close airspace above much of Sicily as a precautionary measure.

Mt Etna is the largest of the three active volcanoes in Italy, covering an area of about 1,200km², with a basal circumference of 140km.  More than a quarter of Sicily’s live on the slopes of the 3,330-meter volcano.Volcanic activity first occurred at Etna about 500,000 years ago.

A massive lava flow from an eruption in November 1928 destroyed the village of Mascali. Other major 20th-century eruptions occurred in 1949, 1971, 1981, 1983 and 1991–1993.

How Many Volcanoes Firing?

Global Volcanic Eruptions 2013: Tempo Rising?

Map of Volcanoes. Background Map: University of Michigan. Designed and enhanced by Fire Earth Blog. Click image to enlarge.

Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

CLEVELAND VOLCANO (52°49’20” N 169°56’42” W; CAVW #1101-24-) – [Group A on the Global Map]
Wednesday, March 6, 2013 12:14 PM AKST (Wednesday, March 6, 2013 21:14 UTC)
Summit Elevation: 5676 ft (1,730 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Source: AVO

Cleveland viewed from an Alaska Airlines 737 en route to Adak, Alaska. [Carlisle Volcano, center of image. Mount Cleveland, lower right of image.]

Date: May 31, 2012 12:00 AM
Photographer/Creator: Read, Cyrus. Image courtesy of AVO/USGS.

This GeoEye IKONOS image shows a faint plume issuing from Cleveland Volcano at 2:31 PM on September 14, 2010. Red in this image highlights areas of vegetation detected by the near-infrared channel.

Date: September 14, 2010 10:31 PM UTC
Volcano(es): Cleveland
Photographer/Creator: Wessels, Rick
Image processed by AVO/USGS. Image copyright 2010 – GeoEye

KILAUEA VOLCANO (19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W; CAVW #1302-01-)
Wednesday, March 6, 2013 7:43 AM HST (Wednesday, March 6, 2013 17:43 UTC)
Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1,247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Source: HVO

Kamchatka Volcanoes on ORANGE Alert [Group J on the Global Map]

• PLOSKY TOLBACHIK VOLCANO (55.83 N, 160.39 E; CAVW #1000-24-)
  Elevation:  3,085 m (10119 ft )

• SHEVELUCH VOLCANO (56.64 N, 161.32 E; CAVW #1000-27-)
  Elevation: 3, 283 m [the dome elevation: 2,500 m)

• KIZIMEN VOLCANO (55.13 N, 160.32 E; CAVW #1000-23-)
  Elevation: 2,485 m (8151 ft)

• KARYMSKY VOLCANO (54.05 N, 159.44 E; CAVW #1000-13-)
  Elevation 1,486 m (4874 ft)

Other Kamchatka Volcanoes on YELLOW Alert [Group J on the Global Map]

• KLYUCHEVSKOY VOLCANO (56.06 N, 160.64 E; CAVW #1000-26-)
  Elevation:  4,750 m
• BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO (55.97 N, 160.6 E; CAVW #1000-25-)
  Elevation: 2,882 m
• GORELY VOLCANO (52.56 N, 158.03 E; CAVW #1000-07-)
  Elevation: 1,828 m

Volcanoes of the Kurile Islands

• Snow (Chirpoi Is.)  – YELLOW
• Ivan Grozny – YELLOW

Recent Activity/ Unrest at other volcanoes

• Etna, Sicily
• Karkar, Northeast of New Guinea (SW Pacific)
• Sabancaya, Perú
• Sangay, Ecuador
• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat
• Tangkubanparahu, Western Java (Indonesia)
• White Island, New Zealand

Ongoing Activity

• Popocatépetl, México
• Sakura-jima, Kyushu  (Japan)
•  Santa María, Guatemala

Volcano/Earthquake Links

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

VolcanoWatch [25 June 2010]

Summary of Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

[Source: SI/USGS]

New Activity/Unrest (16 June – 22 June 2010)

• Etna, Sicily (Italy) [Group B]
• Gorely, Southern Kamchatka (Russia)  [Group J]
• Ioto [Iwo-jima], Volcano Islands (Japan) [Group J]
• Nevado del Huila, Colombia [Group D]
• Pacaya, Guatemala   [Group F]
• Tiatia, Kunashir Island [Group J]
• Tungurahua, Ecuador [Group D]
• Ulawun, New Britain [Group K]

Map of Volcanoes. Background Map: University of Michigan. Designed and enhanced by Fire Earth Blog. Click image to enlarge.

Ongoing Activity:

• Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
• Dukono, Halmahera
• Gaua, Banks Islands (SW Pacific)
• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia)
• Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
• Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Sakura-jima, Kyushu
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat

For additional information, see source.

Related Links:

• Taal Volcano Alert Raised to Level 2 ‎
• Philippines Taal Volcano Could Erupt Anytime

More Links:

• VolcanoWatch [1 June 2010]

• Messages From Earth’s Powerhouse
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 19 March 2009

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• Tonga’s Metis Shoal may be erupting
• Rumble III Volcano “blew its top!”

FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts

• Volcano Watch Weekly: 23 April 2009

• Weekly Volcano Watch: 16 April 2009
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 2 April 2009

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

• Earth’s Climate: A Solar Powered System

Other Related Links:

• U.S. Volcano Status Map
• Elevated Activity Page
• U.S. Volcano Webcams

volcanic activity, volcanic eruption, volcanic hazard, volcanism, volcano. Tagged: Volcano Watch, San Cristóbal, Volcano Watch Weekly, Manam Volcano satellite image, Melimoyu volcan